Report: Marshawn Lynch and Raiders agree to deal
Marshawn Lynch is unpredictable, but it appears he’s finally set to join the Oakland Raiders.
Talk of a return for Marshawn Lynch has been difficult to keep track of given his unpredictability, but the Raiders have been his rumored landing spot. It would be a business move for Oakland, to keep fans interest ahead of a move to Las Vegas, but Lynch should also contribute on the field in a meaningful way for his hometown team.
The Seahawks technically own Lynch’s rights, if and when he officially comes out of retirement. But they can’t and won’t keep him, due in equal parts to his $9 million salary for this year under his previous contract and a full running back depth chart. The Raiders essentially set a deadline for Thursday of this week to get a deal done with Lynch, and now it appears they’ve done so.
According to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, Lynch and the Raiders have agreed to a one-year deal with a base salary of $3 million, plus $2 million more in incentives if he rushes for 1,000 yards and a max possible value of $8.5 million. The Raiders and Seahawks will also swap late-round picks in 2018 as part of the deal for Lynch.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported a two-year deal for Lynch in Oakland, which seems to point to the second year being some sort of option. It’s far from a guarantee Lynch plays more than one year for the Raiders.
Marshawn Lynch is getting a two-year deal from the Raiders, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2017
Lynch is expected to be in Oakland to take a physical on Wednesday, as he returns from a trip to Haiti to help former Seahawks teammates Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett build schools and housing. He also has to officially file paperwork to return to the NFL. These are fairly minor, though important, details and until Lynch does both the deal will not be done.
Next: 2017 NFL Draft: 10 sleepers to watch
With things progressing to this point now, it’s hard to imagine Lynch suddenly reversing course. He profanely promised he would let the world know when the situation were to “get real,” so Lynch’s Twitter feed will be closely monitored on Wednesday.